One Step At A Time
by Virginia Potts
Summary: "How did I get so lucky?" She whispered to the empty room. "If I may, Miss Potts, I rather think it is Mr. Stark who is the lucky one." Pepper-centred! Because I can! And we all know how much I love one-shots!


_**Disclaimer: I do not own Iron Man or any of the character. That's Marvel's job.**_

_Ahah! I found another peiece of Pepper floating around to share with you all! Mwuaahahah. That was weird. Please don't stop following me because of that little random spasm. So apparently, I have finals next week. However, I also have a four day weekend. And then. SUMMER. I'll be gone for about two weeks when I'm away at camp but never fear! I shall continue to write and return with more feels for all of you! Now! To infinity, and beyond!_

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Crystalline blue eyes glinted with tears of joy as she sat on the couch, fingering the ring on her left hand. It took her breath away every time she looked at it, and there were moments she thought that when she reached down to touch the smooth metal of the band that it would simply disappear. It was unreal, unearthly, as was whatever she was currently feeling. She couldn't put her finger on it, and she was experiencing emotions she didn't even know she was capable of. It was the simplicity of the whole thing that really took her breath away. It was small, the rock itself was only a single diamond set on a small silver band. It was absolutely beautiful, and by Pepper's standards, it was perfect. It was perfect because of the significance behind it. It showed how well he really did know her, even if he still didn't know his own social security number.

A gentle smile curved onto her lips as she sat in the rare silence, just staring down at it, her right hand fingering the necklace around her neck. Subconsciously, it curled around one of the pieces of shrapnel, her thumb running over it for several moments. "How did I get so lucky?" She whispered to the empty room.

"If I may, Miss Potts, I rather think it is Mr. Stark who is the lucky one."

This elicited a gentle laugh, her smile widening. "Well thank you JARVIS. That's extremely kind of you."

"I am programmed to speak only the truth Miss Potts."

"Yes I know JARVIS."

With those words she swung her legs over the couch and onto the stone floor, her bare feet padding across the concrete floor. As she reached out to open the refrigerator, the ring caught her eye again as it glinted off of the stainless steel. Her mouth curved once more into the content smile that had been consistently plastered to her face for the past twelve hours. In that time Tony had proposed, /again/, this time presenting her with a ring. Pepper had been unable to answer for the longest time, hands over her mouth as tears of joy rolled down her cheeks. She had been absolutely amazed that he'd done it, probably more so than she regrettably should have been. But she couldn't refuse him, Virginia Potts would never be able to refuse Tony Stark anything any longer. He made her feel more loved than anyone else in the entire world. She had never had anyone do things he did for her, and from anyone else it wouldn't have meant quite so much. Pepper supposed it was because she knew him so well, and had watched him become someone so different from the man she'd come to work for all those years ago. He had come so far. But then again, so had she. She had learned so much in the decade plus that she'd known Tony. How to be patient, how to learn to love someone through all of their faults and shortcoming, because goodness knew she had her fair share of those. There were so many things she herself wanted to apologise for, maybe one day she would.

She wanted to apologise for being so brash with him when he had been the one having nightmares. She had been so insensitive, when he really wasn't the one at fault. Pepper wasn't sure there was anything else she really felt worse about, though that was more than likely debatable were she to make an entire list of all the things she regretted. The suits, as much of a bother as they had been, were his way of saying he loved her at that point in time. she knew that now, and as she thought about it she could still see the brilliant fireworks display as all of the suits had exploded around them. It was in that moment that she knew how much he really did love her.

"Oh Tony..." Pepper shook her head, laughing softly. "You are so much more than you give yourself credit for."

Her head came to rest on the side of the refrigerator as she brushed her bangs from her face, a bottle of water in her hand. The sound of her mobile broke through the silence, causing her to grumble slightly, seeing as it was taking her away from her thoughts. "Virginia Potts." She tucked the phone into her shoulder, holding it steady with her ear as she took a drink of water. "Rhodey? Yeah I'm fine. No I'm not sitting do- /what/?" Pepper nearly dropped her water, succeeding in spilling down her front. The liquid was cold on her skin where her jean shorts ended. "Say that again so I know that I'm not going crazy."

"Pepper... I'm so sorry- I know you probably didn't want to hear this from me, but I heard about it and immediately called you. Its not confirmed yet so don't tell Tony /anything/. Promise me you won't tell him."

"I didn't- can they even give him that?"

"That's what I thought, but hey, this is Tony we're talking about." This elicited a small smile and laugh from Pepper. "I have to go. Don't tell him."

"I won't. I promise." Pepper broke into a wide grin, biting her bottom lip as she thought of what Tony's reaction would be when he found out. He'd be ecstatic, and probably wouldn't be able to speak due to excitement. At least that's what Pepper imagined. And hoped. It was a rare moment when Tony Stark was speechless and she was proud to say that she was fairly sure she'd been around for every single one of those times. Her phone buzzed and she picked it up.

[Text]

You'll be the one to tell him once its been confirmed. It will mean more for him that way. And P.S., that alternate energy plan you submitted? Its just been approved.

JR

She smiled warmly, placing her phone back down before her eyes widened and she re-read over the message at least half a dozen times. The plan had been approved. The plan had been /approved/. Pepper wasn't sure what to do at this point, her body was going into overdrive as the reality of what was happening sunk in ever so slowly.

Stark Industries had just successfully gained control of the alternate energy market single-handedly. The project had been Tony's baby, though the idea had been 100% Pepper's. Both she and Tony had spent days pouring over the arc reactor plans, looking for a way to make the energy source work for more than just Stark. When they'd figured it out for the new Stark Tower, Pepper had suggested that they take another look at the plans and see if they couldn't find a way to make the project work not just for Stark tower, but for /everyone/, starting with New York. Of course it would take a lot of money and many open-minded people willing to bear with them, but in the long haul both of them had really been optimistic about the whole thing. And now everything Tony's father had thought up, along with the genius of his son would finally be changing the world. And Tony and Pepper would be able to see it happen.

For now, in this moment, things seemed to be going better than they ever had, and for the moment, everything was perfect. Everything. And Pepper couldn't wait to tell Tony.

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_Algkalgkalfk. So there. Have at that little review button and tell me what you think. I love writing Pepper. She's just so wonderful. And GP (Gwyneth Paltrow) is perfect. I regret nothing. This is Potts, really signing out. I think. _


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